Negotiating Organizational Cultures. The Evolution of the VOD Platform Implementation in Czech Public Service Television

SLAVÍK, Lukáš and Klára SMEJKAL. Negotiating Organizational Cultures. The Evolution of the VOD Platform Implementation in Czech Public Service Television. Iluminace. Czechia: National Film Archive, 2024. ISSN 0862-397X. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.58193/ilu.1775.

Basic information

• Original name: Negotiating Organizational Cultures. The Evolution of the VOD Platform Implementation in Czech Public Service Television
• Authors: SLAVÍK, Lukáš and Klára SMEJKAL.
• Edition: Iluminace, Czechia, National Film Archive, 2024, 0862-397X.

Other information

• Type of outcome: Article in a journal
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.58193/ilu.1775
• Keywords in English: Public service media, VOD platform, organizational culture, platform imaginaries, Czech Television
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

In response to the digital transformation and the surge of commercial video-on-demand (VOD) platforms like Netflix, public service media (PSM) face the challenge of adapting while preserving their core values. While current studies predominantly focus on the adaptation process of the Western European PSMs, this research contributes a novel perspective by investigating the case of Central and Eastern European countries, specifically the Czech public service broadcaster Česká televize (Czech Television, CT). The emphasis on the role of the organizational culture within this institution shows the social nature of digital innovation. It complements the current scholarship focused on the outcome of the digitization of public service media. Utilizing a comprehensive approach, combining 39 semi-structured interviews and non-participant observations conducted from November 2020 to May 2023, the study explores how organizational culture shapes the imaginaries of the new version of the CT content platform, "iVysílání" (iBroadcasting). The findings reveal an initial tension between the "imported" culture of the new VOD staff and the existing more conservative culture of CT, leading to different imaginaries of the platform. Over time, there is a convergence of cultures, resulting in a compromised platform imaginary between a catch-up portal and a VOD platform. Indeed, it turns out that innovation cannot be brought to a successful conclusion without systematic (organizational culture) change management and clear vision articulation by top management.